Say it now in the living years.

As we come to Father’s Day here in Australia tomorrow, I was recently struck by a line from the Mike and the Mechanics big 1988 hit, “In the living years". In this song, the singer mentions that he and his father didn’t always see eye to eye but he still loved him, although he never said so and he now laments that missed opportunity to say so to his father, in his father’s living years!
Now some, like the songwriters of that song, and the writer of this item, no longer have the opportunity to tell their father that they love them, but if you do still have that opportunity to do so, please do so. And even if it is not Father’s Day where you are, you don’t even have to wait till then to do so. Nor is it only relative to Fathers. If there is someone that you love that you have not told so verbally lately, please do so now, while they are still in their living years. So that unlike the writers of this song, you won’t have to lament over not doing it later, in the years to come. So in the words of this song: “SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT CLEAR”.
So will you do that now? Go out and tell, not only your father, but everyone you love, that you love them, now in their living years. And again: “SAY IT LOUD, SAY IT CLEAR”.

In the Living Years, by Mike and the Mechanics. 1988
Songwriters: RUTHERFORD, MICHAEL/ROBERTSON, BRIAN ALEXANDER

“Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So Don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be O.K.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

For what it’s worth.

For what it is worth, for what it is worth, is the name of a massive 60’s hit song for a group called Buffalo Springfield, which if known at all today, is known for producing Stephen Stills who went on to greater fame in Crosby Stills and Nash. As well, Buffalo Springfield also introduced the world to Canadian Neil Young, who had great fame as a soloist and also as an, on again, off again, member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as they were called when he was around.
Anyway, back to "For what it is worth", it was also reworked and became a hit again in the 90’s for a Group called “Oui 3”*. Only then, it was called, “You can’t get to heaven with an AK 47.”
Now you may not recall the name of the song, “For what it is worth", (which by the way and for what it is worth, does not contain, anywhere in the song, the words, for what it is worth!)
However, I would be very, very surprised, if you don’t know at least one line and the Chorus of the Song, which is currently being used in a commercial here in Melbourne, Australia for an Insurance company or some such thing!
So what is this famous line and Chorus? Well the line is:
“I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down”
And the Chorus is an extension of that:
“We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down”
Well, for what it is worth, that’s that!
But in case you are wondering where all this was leading to, I don’t actually know! It’s just that I was fascinated at how many times this song, or at least its chorus, has been used over the years, and at how well known it is, despite the fact that only fans of the original Group would actually know the song, and their, names.
So I guess the question for today is, “How well do we really know things that are otherwise well known to us?” And, for what it is worth, does it really matter anyway? Over to you now.
* I also think it ironic that an English/American/Swiss band would have a French name.

That’s why I’m here.

Was listening to a CD of James Taylor’s greatest hits, when I was struck by the words of one of his lesser known songs, “That’s why I’m here.” Whilst the full lyrics don’t always make sense, to me at least, I was struck by the chorus.
Below is the first stanza & Chorus.
“Person to person and man to man
I'm back in touch with my long lost friend
listen to reason and understand
and think of me from way back when
he said me and Melissa well we fell out of love
we ran out of luck seems like lightning struck
I've been thinking of leaving but I can't raise a buck
James I’m wondering could I borrow your truck
I said that's why I’m here
got no other reason
that's why I’m standing before you
that's why I’m here.”
Here is another verse, also relevant to my point today:
“Fortune and fame's such a curious game
perfect strangers can call you by name
pay good money to hear fire and rain
again and again and again
some are like summer coming back every year
got your baby got your blanket got your bucket of beer
I break into a grin from ear to ear
and suddenly it's perfectly clear
that's why I'm here.”
As I thought on these words and James’* reaction, even to doing the same old thing, over and over again, year after year, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of us, myself included, have that same attitude of helping others in need when asked? Or whether, even if we do help them out, only do so begrudgingly?
So today’s thought is, have you really thought of why you are really here? Is it really just to be helped and waited on by others? Or is to help in return where and when you can? That’s why I’m here, but what about you?
*By the way did you catch the name of James’ Hit song? It is not difficult even if it is true he has had a few, including a couple of covers, here in Oz! Here are five for you: “Yes, sweet baby James will tell you, that even if you have to go through fire and rain, you have a friend. Even if it is only the handyman up on the roof!”

Les Paul Rocked.

For a man who didn’t really play or record rock music, (He released his first rock album 4 years ago,) Les Paul did indeed rock the Rock Music scene, (as well as all other branches in the music and recording genres!) Growing up into Music during the late 60’s, I was aware of Les Paul and his then wife, Mary Ford, although I really wasn’t into the traditional Country music scene. (Then or now, although I like Hillbilly and some outlaw and some modern Country music!)
Anyway, I was aware of him and his wife (Les Paul & Mary Ford) as recording artists; and that he had a Guitar named after him, but it wasn’t till his death recently (Aug.13) that I discovered how instrumental (Pun originally unintended) he had been to the music scene and in particular, to the Rock music scene. So much so that they even made him a member of their “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
It seems he was one of the pioneers who perfected the Electric guitar and also developed the technology for Multi track recording and over dubbing, so commonplace today. Also, along with his wife Mary, they also instituted the first live reality shows on TV, way back in 1951 when they broadcasted weekly, from their own home. I believe it was only for a few minutes at a time, once a week, but it continued for 7 years still!
I was initially surprise at the time of his death too, to find that he hadn’t been dead for years before that, as he was old even back then, but had just succumbed now at the ripe old age of 94. But I was even more surprised and even greatly impressed, by his greatest achievement, which was none of the above to me. Yes, as ground breaking and innovative as these other achievements were, what impressed me the most, was to find that even at 94 years of age he had still been performing weekly at a nearby New York Jazz club, playing “his” music. Right up until about 7 weeks before his death.
I would like to think that, that would also be true of you and me too, if we should live that long! To still be doing what we loved to do, despite any and all past achievements, no matter how great they may have been! To keep doing what we love and sharing it with others, no matter how small the number or how forgotten by the majority!
Yes Les Paul was still enjoying His life, and plying his trade the way he wanted, right up till the end. Will you and I? I pray so!

Being Cautious Vss Being too Cautious.

Received an email from a friend in which she commented that she was always cautious about risking getting hurt again. What about you? Do you have similar restraints to reaching out to other people and trying new things for the same reasons?
It is good and right to be cautious but there is such a thing as being too cautious, and doing nothing for fear of exposure and hurts. Sometimes we do have to take some risks, but that risk taking does need to be evaluated up front. For instances, the blog I wrote recently “Andre Rieu Visits Eastland Again.” The Shopping centre took a great risk having him come back again after the disruption of his first visit there as an unknown, and I am sure even with the later time spot now, many of the shops in the immediate precinct, suffered loss of business on Saturday, yet an estimated 6,000 people turned up to see him play just two tunes and sign autographs for an hour and a half or so.
This resulted in free mass exposure for the shopping centre in the major Newspapers and even mentioned on the TV news for 3 nights running. Exposure and advertising that they could not afford to buy!
Yes, for some shops, there would have been some short-term loss due to the massive crowd blocking their customers gaining access to them, but overall and for the centre, there was massive immediate and long-term free exposure for them.
Like wise for us too at times! Yes, sometimes all of us need to take some calculated risks; otherwise we will never experience many, many truly lovely blessings. Again that doesn't mean becoming a foolish risk-taker all the time, like some. But occasionally, we do have to put ourselves out to get something back.
Well enough preaching for now. Now is the opportunity for your say/reply.

Andre Rieu Visits Eastland Again.

The last time Andrea Rieu visited Eastland Shopping Centre the Dutch violinist and Conductor was relatively unknown by the populace at large and yet even then, caused a major scene with the large crowd assembled to meet him. So much so that since then the rules and planning and times of promotional visits have been changes to avoid a similar situation.
We normally go to Eastland on Saturday mornings to have a late coffee, and often lunch with one or both of our daughters, as well as do our shopping. On May 9th, in light of Andrea’s latest impending visit, now that he is the top selling artist of Musical CD’S & DVD’s in Australia, we decided to go an hour, to an hour and a half earlier than our usual time, and just for coffee, to avoid the crush, even though Andre was not scheduled to appear until 1 pm.
Well we arrived about quarter past nine and there were barricades and security guards everywhere and even a first aid centre set up nearby. And even then, with nearly 4 hours still to go there were at least 60 people already there and queued up including half a dozen in wheel chairs which, they has provided a special place right up front. Talk about being keen! And of course the crowd steadily increased during our time there! So much so, that by the time we left for home, the place normally sufficient for promotional events, had already filled with some 2 hours still to go.
How would you have handled this event? In light of Andrea’s even greater popularity now, and the experiences of his previous visit, would you have even allowed a second visit, with or without changes to the protocol? Or would you have simply not allowed it to continue at all?
Yes are you not prepared to change at all, or if you do, just go with the flow? Or are you prepared to not only continue on, but prepared to fully step up and make the appropriate changes, even if these changes come at considerable cost and effort for you, and for others, such as the nearby shopkeepers who had their shopper access considerably hampered? What say you? Are you prepared to not only change but also to step up and prepare properly before hand, for the rewards that are out there?

Why Will You Be remembered?

Received a reply to my last blog on “Dave Dee”, which read: “ Hi Walter, I'm not much of a fan of 'pop' music but I am old enough to remember the name of the group because it was so quirky.”
Now my first thought was, “That is about right, as their music really wasn’t that different to most of the music of that era.” Most of which, along with the singers/groups, have been long forgotten. All accept the very worst, the very best, or, as in this case, the very Quirky?
Which led me to wonder how any of us will be remembered in 40 years or so, and why? Will it be for being very bad, or Quirky? Or for being very good, even if only being very good, at being very nice?
So, How do you think you will be remembered in 40 or so years?

Dave Dee.

These days the rage among Pop groups seams to be to give band members creative nicknames like Edge or Slash Or Bono or Kram or whatever! I guess this is supposedly to give them an edge in getting publicity. Of course this is not new or even very original these days. I have no idea who actually started this trend but one of the more imaginative originators would have to go to Dave Harman and His quirky 1960’s band with an even quirkier name.
David Harmon changed his name to Dave Dee, which is not that unusual or even quirky I guess, nor was Mick Wilson going under the name of Mick. But what about Trevor Davies choosing “Dozy” or John Diamond calling himself “Beaky” and Ian Amey calling himself, Tich?
Yes folks, that was the name of that 1960’s English Pop Group that had ten consecutive Top Twenty Hits in England, {although only two (Bend it, & The legend of Xanadu) made it here in Oz and none in the States I believe}. Their name? Didn’t I tell you? Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich!”
I was reminded of them a week or so again when I read that Dave Dee had passed way at age 65 from cancer. Although I can’t say I was ever a great fan of theirs at the time, I was aware of their two Aussie Hits getting massive airplay in Australia at the time. And I did many, many years later; buy a cheap CD of theirs with 12 of their “Greatest Hits” on it.
Although not a great fan of them then, I was aware of them then and even though they were all 6 or 7 years older than me, I considered them to be of my generation. A generation that is starting to pass rather rapidly these days it seems. And I couldn’t help but wonder what we would be leaving behind for the coming Generations?
Although Dave Dee Left the group in 1970, He did later gain control of the Groups Greatest Hits (The legend of Xanadu)) CD and was able to leave something behind, even if for a lot of us, it is only memories of our Youth!
So what about you and me? What of any value, if anything, are we going to leave behind for others to discover or benefit from/? Over to you now.

Harmony and the Everly brothers.

The Everly brothers were very big on the popular Music scene in the 50’s & 60’s and were popular for their famous harmonies together, so much so that they set the trend for many imitators. Unlike some, like the Righteous brothers, the Walker Brothers and our Very own Allen Brothers; the Everly’s really were brothers and not just a group of strangers pretending to be Brothers. And unlike the Allison’s (also not real brothers, but who sounded like the Everly’s) the Everly’s didn’t sound like anyone else but had their own unique sound. A sound that also inspired and influenced many others including the Beatles and the Beach Boys, just to mention two.
Yes the Everly brothers were an inspiration to many with their own harmonious sound. Yes the Everly bothers sang harmoniously together but sadly did not live in harmony together and eventually split up and went their own separate ways to little real later solo successes. They did reform a time or two, but always for the money and thus the reforms never lasted for long.
How about you? How harmoniously are your really living/working with those around you, whether real family or not? Are you in true harmony in all aspects of life or are you too just coming together for the money? If so, no matter what success you are currently having it too will not last. What say you now?

A little quiz about the music of Tommy Roe.

Come on everybody, it is time to get jam up and jelly tight about one of my earliest Music favourites, Tommy Roe. The folksinger/ pop star had a string of classic and not so classic songs and covers of other people’s hits, during the 50’s, 60’s & early 70’s. In the music arena Tommy was a working class hero and well known as a stir it up and serve it musician. Likewise, Tommy was also known to have had an eye for, and becoming quite dizzy over the ladies and was well known for having said hooray for Hazel. And he thought Pearl and Heather honey was yummy, yummy, yummy, but is perhaps best known for the liaison he had with that sweet little Sheila, Sweet Pea. He also hung around with for a while with Stagger Lee and even Jack and Jill for a while, until it was suspected the latter two got into some hanky panky in the fields of crimson and clover. He was also known to like some sugar sugar in his coffee.
Okay how many song titles were you able to pick out? If you know anything about Tommy Roe you should have been able to get 2 or 3 of his songs, and if you know anything of the music of that era you should also have picked out at least two covers, plus a couple of other titles are fairly obvious, so see how many you can guess. I took these titles from some of my CD’s and even I didn’t know all of them originally. As a fan of Tommy’s I knew 7, and could guess at least 3 covers. So see if you can top ten of the seventeen titles hidden in the first paragraph here. No prizes for doing so. Just the pleasure of knowing you beat me. If you can? Answers only available upon answering.

Do You Need To Walk In Someone Else’s Shoes For A While?

How often in life do we see things from the outside looking in, and without seeing or knowing all the facts, make judgments and form opinions about other people or things? Sometimes we may be right too, but many times we really do need to just stop and think and try and see things from the other side too and not just from our own small worldview, before we form those opinions, don’t we?
Back in 1970, Joe South wrote and sang, “If I could be you and you could be me for just one hour. If we could find a way to get inside each other's mind. If you could see you through my eyes instead of your ego. I believe you'd be surprised to see that you'd been blind. Walk a mile in my shoes walk a mile in my shoes Yeah, before you abuse, criticize and accuse. Walk a mile in my shoes.”
I think that this is very sound advice for, as Joe goes on to say further in the song, “So unless you've lived a life of total perfection. Mm-mm, you'd better be careful of every stone that you should throw. Yet we spend the day throwin' stones at one another. 'cause I don't think or wear my hair same way you do. Well, I may be common people but I'm your brother. Ad when you strike out and try to hurt me, it’s a 'hurtin you.”
So I urge you today, even if you don’t know the song or even Joe, to learn from his words of wisdom in it and learn, even if for only “one hour” to walk a mile in the other person’s shoes and see life from their perspective too. For as Joe also says, when you are hurting others. you are only ultimately hurting yourself too, so, “Yeah, before you abuse, criticize and accuse. Walk a mile in the other person’s shoes.” Yes, just not mine please, you might just stretch them!!!!!
Now seriously, yes we all need to walk in other people’s shoes for a while too! Will you do that before you speak next time?

How long is too long for Presley Mania?

I mean the man himself has been dead since 1977 (31^st Anniversary today:Aug.16). The divorce came through some nearly 35 years ago (October 1973). And the marriage itself occurred 41 years ago on May 1^st 1967. So bearing all the above in mind, don’t you think that it is both a little bit late and very, very opportunistic, to suddenly now, on the 31^st anniversary of Elvis’s death and over 41 years since the actual marriage,(completely forgetting the accompanying divorce) to release boxed sets of Elvis and Priscilla wedding dolls?

I don’t know which is the more astounding? That one lady bid $7813 dollars for a boxed set, autographed by Priscilla herself? Or that they expect to sell a run of another 40,000 boxed sets at around $75. 00 each.

Now please don’t get me wrong I like Elvis as much as the next person. Well actually, No I don’t! I do/did like him very much, but nowhere near as much as my brother-in-law though. However as much as I like his music and his movies, I just can’t help wondering why people would really want to buy a “new” memory of an old event that actually went sour, long before his death. If you have the answer, please let me know, as it sure beats me.

I mean let’s remember him by all means, and remember our old memories of Him too, but please don’t milk his memories with blatant money making rip-offs, perpetrating the lie that it was a happy marriage.

Stir it up and serve it, Tommy Roe,

Recently bought a box set of CD’s Called “The best of the 70’s” It was a collection of 20 CD’s for only $18, so it was bought with no great expectations, especially as although I had heard of most of the Artists before, I had heard of very few of the songs, or recognised them as having been made famous/sung by other artists.

Even before I bought the collection, I was aware that it was a mixed bag but there were some interesting songs on it plus some songs that although I had never heard them before, rather liked the Artist performing them. One such artist/singer, was a guy called Tommy Roe, who had classic hits with "Sweat Pea" and "Sheila" and notable air play with other songs like “Come on everybody”, "Heather Honey", "Dizzy", and even “Jam up and Jelly tight”.

One of the songs from him on this 70’s collection was called, “Stir it up and Serve it”. Not what even I, an admirer of his, would call a great song, but I think it summed up this collection of songs in this complete set. It seems whoever compiled this collection, just took a collection of “B side” songs from some then well known recording artists of that era, stirred them up and served them. And then had to sell them “Dirt Cheap” as no one was really interested in them.

I couldn’t help but wonder if that is how we do things sometimes too? Just take a half-hearted collection of our works, and just, “Stir it up and serve it” and then expect people to “Buy it” enthusiastically?

When we present our efforts and ourselves /works, to the world, do we really and always present our best all the time? Or do we sometimes try to take our lesser efforts and, “Stir it up and serve it", and then wonder why no one will buy it? This is, as much a memo to me as to you but I would urge you in future to always give and present your best to the world all the time. What say you?

J. D. Loudermilk.

Just to finish off my recent series on singer/songwriters: Tell me who or what you think the following names all have in common:

Bruce Sprinsteen, Norah Jones, Peter Gallagher, Glen Campbell, Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, Richard Clayderman, Nina Simone, Sue Thompson, Lou Rawls, Marianne Faithfull, Jewel, Brenda Lee, The Ventures, The Casinos, Nashville Teens, Eddie Cochran, Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson, Paul Revere & Raiders, Shocking Blue, Eric Burdon & War or The Animals, Box Tops, Frankie Valli, Dobie Gray, Perry Como.

What about? Marilyn Manson David Lee Roth, Jefferson Airplane, Bill Wyman& the Rythem Kings, Tommy Emanuel, Boney M, Status Quo,

Or even: George Hamilton IV, Johnny Cash, The Carter Family, Carl Perkins, Kitty Wells, Chet Atkins, Stonewall Jackson, Bobby Bare, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Waylon Jennings, Flying Burrito Brothers (Gram Parsons), Barbara Mandrell, Eddy Arnold, Jerry Lee Lewis, Don Fardon, John D. Loudermilk, Johnny Tillotson, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Box Car Willie, Garth Brooks, Tony Joe White, Hank Snow, Pat Boone, Duanne Eddy, Roy Orberson Anne Murray, the Byrds, Oak Ridge boys, Crystal Gayle, Lynne Anderson, Lonnie Doniegen, Jimmy Buffet, Hank Williams Jr, Freddie Fender, 5^th Dimension, Andy Williams Connie Francis, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Jimmy Dean, Guy Mitchell, Bobby Darin, Rod McKuan, Lee Hazelwood & Ann Margret, Tracy Ullman, Sammi Davis Jr., Doug Kershaw, Roger Whitaker, Jim Nabors, David Hassellhofff

Just so the Aussies don’t feel left out there is also: Johnny Chester, Bobbie & Laurie, Jade Hurley, Wild Cherries, Slim Dusty & Joy McLean, Bee Gees, Frank Ifield,

And finishing off with: James Brown, Solomon Burke, Jim Croce, Don McLean, even Michael Jackson’s Jackson five, and for those South Africans, Leon Schuster.

Before I answer that question, how many of the following songs have you heard and what do they all have in Common?

Turn Me On, Abilene, Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye, Tobacco Road, Windy and Warm, I Wanna Live, A Rose and a Baby Ruth, Indian Reservation, Break My Mind, Sad Movies, Torture (Coeur Blessé), God Will, The Little Bird, Angela Jones, You Call It Joggin', Bad News, Norman, Amigo's Guitar, Road Hog, Waterloo, This Little Bird, Calling Ben Casey, Language of Love, Paper Tiger, Sittin' In The Balcony, Ebony Eyes, Talk Back Tremblin' Lips, Weep No More, It's My Time, Out Of Gas. -----------------

Well the answer to both questions and the common connection is the Title of this Blog. John David Loudermilk singer and songwriter for the past half-century and still going strong.

Although he has always recorded his own stuff, he hasn’t really had a hit of his own but many of his songs have been either hits or recorded and performed by many, many artists. The ones above are only a few but at least names that I know of. I have left all the more obscure artists off this list.

My focus today is on the fact that although most people today have no idea who J D Loudermilk is, (Or even care), most have heard of either his songs or the people who have recorded them. So although John himself is not famous outside of a select few, his music or talent/gift is. Although he is still with us, he has also left a large and varied body of work to the music world for all to enjoy. From pure comedy songs to sensitive and moving love ballads.

What about you? Your name might be as little known outside of your own circle, as John’s is, but you too can leave something positive behind to your community or group. So when you leave, what will you be leaving behind? A body of work to be enjoyed by later generations, or just a body to be removed and buried AQAP? What say you?

Elvis: The Gospel Singer.

In reply to my blog, ”Elvis: Not original but unique anyway!” I received the following response: ”Hi Walter, Some years ago we went to see an Elvis impersonator who only sang his Gospel songs. At the time he told us that Elvis recorded more Gospel songs than he did rock and roll ones. I'm not sure if this is correct but others have told me that he recorded an enormous number of Gospel tracks so maybe it is correct. Evidently in his younger days he was a very active Christian but that obviously fell away in his later years prior to his death.”

Now I don’t know if it is true whether Elvis recorded more Gospel songs than Rock ones, or whether He was or wasn’t an active Christian. However I do know that before the period that Elvis blasted upon the Music scene and turned the then fledgling Rock scene into the popular World scene, Gospel Music was an important music stream within the then American Music scene.

In fact many of the soon to be household names of the Rock area, like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, were major Gospel stars, before they lost most of their Gospel audience and Market by selling out to the Rock Market Scene and even greater fame. Even Johnny Cash started out trying to record Gospel songs at the beginning of his career. At this distance in time and in Mileage, from the American scene, we don’t quite realize how important Gospel music was and still is, to some people there, as a distinct stand-alone market.

Some choose to stay in Gospel music and relative obscurity, doing and recording what they really wanted, while others took the route of Elvis and Johnny Cash, and moved on to the bigger markets, still doing mostly what they wanted, especially in Johnny’s case, less so in Elvis’ case.

As to who is right, I will leave it up to you to decide, but money, fame, and financial success is not the be all and end all that you might at first suspect. Some have gone that route, only to regret it.

What about you? Are you happy where you are or do you wish to move on up and over to bigger markets? Whether that is right for you, only you can decide, but when you read or learn about the personal lives of Both Elvis and Johnny cash, one can only wonder whether they both may not have been happier with less success but more control over their lives. What say you?

Steve Forde

Can’t say that I am a fan at all of Steve Forde (Formerly of Steve Ford and the Flange). Yet despite, (or because of,) my lack of support, Steve is now an up and coming Australian Country Music Star. However that wasn’t always so and he had to work very hard at it, even to financing his own early recordings. He's since gone on now to become one of Australia's leading live acts and is among the most recognised personalities on the Country Music Channel here in oz. He's also helped establish a number of festivals and has been acknowledged for introducing a younger demographic of fans to country music, according to some in the industry.

That’s now. However, when Steve started out, everyone in the business shut the door on him, so he went out and created a career on his own. He financed his own albums, wrote his own songs and even started building his own stages to perform on - stages which other leading acts now also use.

I saw an excerpt on TV of how he designed his own Touring Bus complete with an Hydraulic stage, making touring and performing just that so much easier to do, with only himself in mind, to make things easier for a one man band situation. As such it was an innovation and an innovation that others also wanted access to because of its success and ease.

So much so that other artists started asking if they could hire his Bus for themselves.

What would you do if that happened to you? Tell them where to go, or hire it out to them?

Well Steve took a lateral take on the last option. He hired it out to other artists, complete with a free opening act. Himself.

So everyone who hired his bus and portable stage, hired Steve too as their opening act, and thus gave him far greater exposure than he would have got otherwise. Steve used some lateral thinking and benefited from it as well as helping others.

What about you, do you too make every chance a winner? Or do you try and keep the best to yourself, without being able to fully exploit it for your own benifit as well as others.

I may not admire Steve’s music abilities but I admire and champion his initiative in making every point a winner, when and where he can. Again can the same be said about you and me? If not, why not? And what are we going to do about it? Over to you! Walter

Loudon Wainwright 111.

Way back in my slightly miss-spent Youth, I heard a song that caught my attention both for its content and its singer’s name. The song was “Dead Skunk In The Middle Of The Road “ and was a sizable hit all around the world. So much so that nearly 15 years later (while I was at Bible College,) I heard the Singer was still touring the world, including Australia, on the strength of that one song some 15 years earlier. Now some 20 years later from even that time, I read somewhere recently that he is still going strong in the entertainment world, having recorded some 20 Albums of his own and has had some bit parts in acting in 11 films, (including, Big fish, The Avatar, 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked up). As well as all that, he is currently the Musical Director of the David Letterman Show. So for a man with a funny name and really only one big song to his name he has done all right for himself. Both then and now. Yet still, the name Louden Wainwright the 3^rd, is still not that well known out side of his circle of fans, is it? I mean had you ever heard of Him?

In fact, to most people today and especially the young, when you mention Loudon’s surname, they repeat it and say, "Don’t you mean Rufus Wainwright?” To which I reply that, “If I wanted to talk about the son, I would have said so! I am talking about his father!”

Yes, despite his ongoing fame and exposure Loudon is best known these days not for his own success, but for the success of his son (& also his slightly lesser known Daughter, Martha Wainright/McGarrigle. Both singer -songwriters in their own rights!)

What about you? Does this sound familiar to you? You have had success in your own right, but long ago, and even while still being successful now, are being overshadowed even by your own Children or someone that you trained or introduced to the world!

Well learn form Loudon. Enjoy your success when it comes, as he did with ‘“Dead Skunk In The Middle Of the Road “ back in the early 70’s (1972). Milk it for all it’s worth as he did up into the 80’s (and probably still), by touring where he could. Yes indeed do all that, but don’t stay there forever. Loudon moved on, and is now the Musical Director for a popular TV Show. So yes Loudon enjoyed his initial success and turned it into an enjoyable and productive life, and one that he is still enjoying the reflected fruits of! But even more, he is also basking in the knowledge that he has also produced two young people, successful in their own right.

Loudon can bask in both his own success and the success of others. Can the same be said of you and me? Walter

Elvis: Not original but unique anyway!

In an earlier Blog (Freddie Bell was no Ding Dong.) about Freddie Bell I mentioned how it was he who introduced Elvis to another way of presenting Mama Thornton’s big hit “Hound Dog.” And thus taking “Black” music over to the wider “White” market. I also mentioned how it is also believed that Elvis copied and perfected Freddie’s’ energetic stage Performance too.

This started me pondering about Elvis, who according to many, but definitely not my brother-in-law, was not really a good singer but rather more of an average “Belter” of songs, when it came to his delivery style – definitely no Sinatra there!

So, my question is, if Elvis was not original with his style of Music, nor his selection of songs, nor his stage delivery, nor even his singing style; what was it that made him so unique and so popular.

Let’s face it, there are many singer’s today touted as the new or latest “King”, The new Elvis” or some such tag, and some at one time or another even touted as greater than Elvis, but are soon now largely forgotten, while Elvis still "Sings” on long after his physical demise, doesn’t he? So again what made/makes Elvis unique, if not his originality?

Whilst Elvis was not the first nor the best, he was able to take all the best from others before him and craft both his weaknesses and strengths into one whole package and present it to the world as his own, even if it wasn’t all original or unique to himself.

What about you today? Can you learn from Elvis? , Can you too, like Elvis observe and adopt, and adapt from others? Can you not also craft both your weaknesses and strengths into one whole working package, and then present it to the world as uniquely your own?

This last is as important to the others. Even when Elvis had his package ready, he still had to market to the world. He still had to get out there and presents it to the World.

I know that it is hard to believe after seeing Elvis on the big stages, that some of his first performances were at fair grounds of the back of a truck, like many before him and many after him and like many today.

So, if you have Dream, Follow that dream, like Elvis did. (Sorry, Pun unintended originally.) Not just follow, but pursue that dream actively & passionately. Get your package together first by all means, but then go out and market it wherever and whenever you can. The markets don’t normally come to you first. You have to go to them first. What say you? What can you do now to present your own particular gifts and talents to the world? Walter

Merle Haggard’s Wayward Youth.

In recent Blogs I have mentioned my admiration for the music and success of Merle Haggard, since the late 60’s, when I first became aware of him and his music.

That is not to say that I admire everything about the man however. In fact there is much not to like about his past! However he overcame his wayward youth and used it to full advantage in his later musical career.

I remember reading in an old book about him (late in the 80’s) that there was a Book called “America’s 19 Dumbest Crooks” (?) It was so popular that they put out a second Volume. Guess who made it into the second volume?

It seems having taken to the booze and crime, Merle and a buddy as young delinquents, decided to break into a restaurant in the middle of the night. However being so drunk that they mixed up the time, they “broke in” while the restaurant was still open and of course got caught red handed and muddle-brained. He ended up spending time in prison for it. During his time in prison he became a member of their county Band. Not with any genuine enthusiasm, but initially just out of boredom; however was eventually really inspired to take it up as a carer, when Johnny Cash performed there.)

Later he cleaned up his act and became a singer songwriter to quite some success, but his real success came later when he started writing songs that including a lot of material from his misspent youth and alcoholic ways.

Of course not all written in his songs is the whole truth, but rather based on truth and elaborated on to fit the song and theme. As he himself has supposedly said, “I didn’t turn 21 in Prison doing life without parole (As stated in his song, "Mama Tried;) but you have to admit it sounds better than, "Turned 21 in prison doing 9 to 16 for Grand larceny!” (Which He did.)

So Merle was finally able to overcome his wayward past and eventually use the knowledge gained form it to his own advantage, to set himself up in life.

What about you? Yes you may have had, or still have for that matter, a lousy past, but you can get past it. You may need help, (Mother like with Merle, or other family, or medical or other professional help) and inspiration (Johnny Cash), but it can be done and like Merle, you to can use some of the lessons and experiences of your past to help you, and even others, to move on to a successful and fulfilling life. Can’t you? What say you?

Merle Haggard and George Jones. 11/4/2008

In my recent blog, “Merle Haggard, who’s she?” I mentioned that I admired Merle greatly and that he would be high, very high indeed among my most favourite singers, along with some other “Singer/songwriters, even when their singing (Like Merles) is not the purest I have heard.” Yes Merle’s voice is not the purest in my humble opinion, but he uses it to its full advantage on the songs he both sings and writes.

Another of the same era and of similar, if slightly lesser stature in Country Music’s Hall of Fame is George Jones. George is also still around, and performing. George however never quite received the same exposure on Australian/Melbourne Radio as Merle in his younger days. Thus although I had heard of him I had never really heard George Jones as such that I would have known his music or singing style. Sure heard of Him, but not knowingly heard him. This changed a few years back when I saw a cheap Cassette of his Greatest Hits for sale for 50 cents. Which I brought, only because he had two of Merle’s songs on it and I wanted to hear how they sounded coming from someone else other than the writer, who always in my humble opinion, has the edge.

Well listening to the Tape I found I quite liked George’s singing (and now have a couple of His CD’s. Yes! Only Greatest Hits! And Cheapie’s too!). However, listening to George, I was taken by two things. First his voice was much clearer and purer than Merle’s and quite enjoyable. Yes quite enjoyable, when he didn’t sing Merle’s songs, that is! On Merle’s two songs, a pure sweet singing voice was inappropriate and completely out of place. It really did need a gravely voice to sing a gravely song like Merles two there.

So although I like and admire the talent of both singers, Merle is high up there in my pantheon of top singers, but George would be lucky to make my top 50 of all-time favourites.

The lesson in this is not to be too occupied by being the purest and best but to always give your best and in everything put your whole heart and soul into it.

So don’t always go for the purest and sweetest*, but go with what is appropriate for the task you want it to perform. What say you?

* Having implied that their voices were like Chalk and Cheese, you might like me, be surprised to learn that they have produced an album of Duets together during their careers. Unfortunately I have not heard any tracks from it to say how they blend together.